The Adventure of the Watchmaker's Daughter
by C. H. Baker
Summary: Holmes and Watson are visited by Ms. Sophia Dollarhyde, who is about to be married and threatened by her father. Holmes promises her he will keep her safe and that he will stop her father. Inspired by the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle.
1. Sophia Dollarhyde

**I was inspired by "The Adventure of the Speckled Band", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who is attributed the creation of the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.**

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**The Adventure of the Watchmaker's Daughter**

**Chapter 1: Sophia Dollarhyde**

When a daughter gets engaged her father is supposed to feel happy for her. This is not the case of Sophia Dollarhyde. The case came to Sherlock Holmes and I in 1884, it was a Saturday if I can recall properly. Me and Holmes were having breakfast, me as usual was reading the paper, when Mrs. Hudson came to us, saying that a young lady was calling for Holmes downstairs. Holmes told her we would be there in a minute and Mrs. Hudson departed. I asked Holmes if he thought if this lady was one of his clients, and he answered me that there wouldn't be any other reason for someone requesting him. We finished breakfast and went down.

"Good evening, Miss," said Holmes when he saw her, "I am Sherlock Holmes and this is my colleague Dr. Watson, whom you may speak in his presence confidently."

Holmes and I took a seat in the chairs surrounding the young woman.

"Thank you, Mr. Holmes, for seeing me." said the young girl with a soft voice. "I hope I'm not coming on a bad time."

"Oh no," said Holmes, "you are coming on a perfect time. So tell me, miss, what is your name and what brings you here in this lovely evening?"

"My name is Sophia Dollarhyde, the daughter of William Dollarhyde, the Watchmaker from Fleet Street."

"Yes, I am familiar with your father's work. I actually happen to be having with me right now one of your father's precious watches." Holmes showed Miss Sophia Dollarhyde his wrist where rested one of William Dollarhyde's watches.

"Yes, my father makes fine watches and they are very popular. But this is not why I came here to talk to you."

"Please forgive me, ma'am. Continue with your story."

"I come today here to you because I'm scared, Mr. Holmes, scared about my father. You may ask waht kind of harm can a watchmaker do, but I assure you that much. He happens to be very rich, his watches are so popular that he has ammassed an impressive sum of money for the last years. But not all of this money could save my mother, who happened to die two years ago."

"Forgive my interruption, ms. Dollarhyde, but how did your mother die?"

"Her heart stopped. But that is not important for what I am to tell you. So anyway, my father is very rich and very powerful, what makes him very dangerous. He has very dangerous contacts, people that can harm badly. This people are the ones that scare me. I happen to be engaged to a wonderful man since a month ago. My father seemed to be understanding, he even seemed happy for me. This was until two nights ago, when I went down to the kicthen to have a glass of water and I found my father, he was drunk. I told him it was late and that he should go to bed. His answer was different from the one I expected. I had expected him to tell me to go away and to leave him alone. No. His answer was 'Sophia, you know I love you. but I'm afraid if you marry this man I will have to kill you and him'. I got scared. I left him and went to bed. I first thought it was the alcohol talking, but the next morning he approached me. I thought he was going to apologise, to tell me that he hadn't meant what he had said. He said 'Sophia, what I told you last night should not have been said, but now that it is I think the words are real. Don't you marry this man, or I fear that the consequences I have said last night will be applied.' After that he left. I was scared, I did not know what to do. Last night, while I was in my bed, I remembered how a friend of mine told me how you had helped her, and I thought to myself 'if this man can help her, he can help me.' I took a cab here this morning, in the hopes that you could help me. Please, I need your help. I am very afraid of my father. He is a dangerous man, who is capable of murdering his own daughter."

I listened to Miss. Dollarhyde's story carefully. It was a sad one, I could not believe how a father would do that to his daughter. I thought to myself if I ever had a daughter I wouldn't do anything to her like that.

"Where do you live, Ms. Dollarhyde?"

"In a big house, a couple of kilometres outside from London. But if you are planning to visit I suggest strongly not to. My father, as I have said, is a very dangerous man, and you would not want to be his enemy."

"What kind of connections does your father have?" I asked. "Are simply common killers? Or are connections with the police that may help him in the case that he murders someone?"

"As far as I know only common criminals, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had connections with the police to cover him. I do believe that he has murdered someone before, and that he had never been even suspected. Besides of murder, I am sure that he has commited other crimes. I have heard rumours that he beat a man, almost killing him, and then stole his money. My father being a thief, I do not know, but I know that he _is _capable of doing such things."

"Don't you worry anymore, ma'am, we will help you." said Holmes. "I think we should be meeting your father some day, to know with what kind of man we are dealing with. Apart from that we will protect you of every danger you may be in, and your fiancé too. Who is your fiancé? I did not have the chance to ask."

"His name is Edward Kingsley. He works for my father. I fear that this working connection will be more dangerous for him that it already is. He may be just going to work one day and he finds one of my father's assasins."

"That will not happen, Ms. Dollarhyde, because we will see for your safety."

"Thank you, Mr. Holmes, thank you."

After ms. Dollarhyde had departed Holmes looked at me and said:

"Watson, we're going to meet Mr. William Dollarhyde."


	2. William Dollarhyde

**I was inspired by "The Adventure of the Speckled Band", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who is attributed the creation of the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.**

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**The Adventure of the Watchmaker's Daughter**

**Chapter 2: William Dollarhyde**

I was not expecting that Holmes would had met William Dollarhyde inmediately after the client departed. Of course he would have met him and he would have taken me with him, but I never thought it would have been so early in the case. We had just received the case.

"Hurry up Watson, the Watch store will open soon." Holmes said to me while I was getting my jacket.

I called for a hansom and went downstairs. We got into the cab a few minutes later. Holmes gave the direction of the store to the cabby and we were going.

"Holmes," said I, "why are we meeting with Mr. William Dollarhyde so early in the case? We just received it."

"My dear fellow, we are meeting with Mr. Dollarhyde so early in the case because the case is mostly about him. We have to meet him to know with who we are going to be protecting Ms. Sophia Dollarhyde and her fiancé. I am sure he is as dangerous and powerful as she said or even more, but we have to see how dangerous can he be. We do not know Mr. Dollarhyde, we do not know who works for him. As Ms. Sophia said, he might be guilty of murder and the police is covering him. I do not know Watson with whom we are dealing, and I would like to know."

"How do you think this whole affair will end up?"

"I am confident on that we will be able to protect Miss Dollarhyde from her violent father."

"How do you think we will do that? Have not you said that he is a very dangerous man?"

"Watson, I am sure that you trust my abilities."

"Always, Holmes."

"Good, then lets not ask further questions. We will be able to save Ms Sophia Dollarhyde and Mr Edward Kingsley. We are about to arrive at the store."

I glanced out of the window and saw how the cab was stopping on a lonely street. There were a few stores open, and one of them had a sign that read: '_DOLLARHYDE WATCHES' _and under it a smaller sign ran _'OPEN'._

Holmes and I got out of the cab and walked to the store.

"Watch what you say," said Holmes, "men like this usually go mad because of whatever you may say. Becareful with the words you use. If he is indeed a very dangerous man, then we should not make him mad."

"I will watch my mouth." said I.

We entered the store and I saw that there were only two people inside: one of them was on the counter and was a simple young fellow, wearing a white shirt and black plants, had short black hair and could not be the dangerous man who had threatened Ms. Dollarhyde; the other one was sitting on a chair a couple of steps besides the door and was an older, tougher looking man, wearing a black jacket and hat, had black long hair and a black bear, the man had an air of pride. The latter was certainly the man we were looking for.

"Yes, can I help you?" the young man had walked to us the moment we entered the place.

"We were hoping we could talk to Mr. Dollarhyde." said Holmes.

"Mr. Dollarhyde," said the young man, turning to the other man sitting besides the chair, "these gentlemen wish to talk to you."

"Well, then lets talk." said Mr. Dollarhyde standing from his chair. He then held his hand up and showed us to a back door which lead to a small close room. "Gentlemen." said he before we walked to the room.

We sat in three chairs and then the man started speaking:

"So tell me, my fine gentlemen, in what can I help you?"

I still did not know what Holmes was going to tell him.

"Mr. Dollarhyde, my name is Sherlock Holmes and I wanted to tell you that I admire your work."

"I see," was Mr. Dollarhyde'es response, "you are wearing one of my watches right now."

"Oh yes. You have done a good job fabricating these."

"It is always good meeting admirers of my work. Unfortunately, I have an appointment pretty soon, was this all you wanted to speak about with me?"

"No, actually I was hoping we could speak about your daughter."

"My daughter? What... Why do you want to speak about her?"

"We know she is about to get married and you are not very happy about it."

William Dollarhyde stayed quiet, thinking.

"What did you say was your name again?"

"Sherlock Holmes"

"Ah, Mr. Holmes. I have heard about you. I presume my daughter went to you, did she?"

Holmes did not say a word, he did not like to discuss about his clients, but I saw in William Dollarhyde's eyes that he had gotten the answer.

"Whatever she have said I am afraid it is not true." said Dollarhyde.

"Mr. Dollarhyde, I do not think that your daughter was lying when she told me what was bothering her."

"Oh really? What exactly did she tell you?"

"A few things about her, her engagement and how you have threatened her and how you told her not to marry Mr. Edward Kingsley."

William Dollarhyde got up from his chair. He seemed to be mad, exactly what Holmes had told me to avoid.

"Get out of here!" exclaimed he.

Holmes stood up from the chair calmly and said:

"Well, sir, thank you for your time."

We walked out of the store and got into a cab again.

"What was that about not making him mad?" I asked in our way back to 221B.

"My dear doctor, I told you that you should not make him mad, but I did not say anything about myself. But this has prooven something."

"And that is...?"

"He did threaten his daughter. His behavour shows it. William Dollarhyde is guilty."


	3. Night Watch

**I was inspired by "The Adventure of the Speckled Band", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who is attributed the creation of the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.**

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**The Adventure of the Watchmaker's Daughter**

**Chapter 3: Night Watch**

That same afternoon, the day in which Ms. Sophia Dollarhyde had come to us with the case and Holmes and I had met Mr. William Dollarhyde, Ms. Sophia came back to 221B to meet with us. I was in my room, and I could hear Holmes practising the violin in his, when I heard Mrs. Hudson open the door. I heard a soft talking, I did not recognize the voice of the visitor nor I understood what was saying, but then Mrs. Hudson called for us:

"Mr. Holmes, Dr. Watson, Ms. Sophia Dollarhyde is calling for you!"

Five seconds after my door was opened, and Holmes was standing there.

"Watson, hurry, Ms. Dollarhyde is back here. She might provide to us more information for the case."

I was half standing when Holmes had opened the door, and when he had spoken his final word I was already walking to the door. Holmes opened wider the door and we both walked down the stairs. Ms. Dollarhyde was sitting on a chair. We took a seat next to her.

"Ms. Dollarhyde, I am glad to see you again. So tell us, what can we do for you?"

Sophia Dollarhyde's hands were shaking. She was quiet for some time, but she then decided to speak:

"Mr. Holmes, I am sure you remember I have told you my father is a very dangerous man, and very capable of murdering his own daughter."

"Of course."

"After my short visit here today, I went back to my father's house. I spent some time reading. After some hours I heard my father come in. He was furious.

"'Father? What is the problem?' I asked him.

"My father, every time getting even angrier, kicked a table besides us and fell to the floor. He then told me:

"'What have you been doing, Sophia?'

"I was confused with the question. He then said:

"'Do not marry him. Do not marry Edward, Sophia. I have warned you before, I have told you what can happen if you do. Even if you think I am not capable of doing it, even if you think I am just bluffing. I will, listen to me very carefully, I will kill Edward and kill you if you marry him. I will not let you.' Afterwards, he left, but I was left there, scared. I know he is very capable of doing it, and I am sure he is not bluffing. Since I was very young, I have thought he did not love me, so I think he will not regret it if he does. I am afraid , Mr. Holmes, I am. What may happen to me, and to Edward? I only know my father will keep his threat."

"Well," Holmes had been listening very carefully, "you be sure we will protect you, Ms. Dollarhyde."

"But be careful, my father will harm you too if he finds out. And I fear he will make his move fast."

Sophia Dollarhyde left the appartment just then. Holmes, who had been analyzing the case quietly, told me:

"Watson, I think she might be right. I think her father will be striking soon. We have to follow her, to maintain the promise that we made to protect her."

Holmes and I were walking down Baker Street. Holmes was desguised, as always with a fine costume. If I would have not known it was him, I would have thought it was somebody else. I had only a fake beard and dark glasses. But it was enough for Mr. William, who had not left the impression of being an intelligent man, to not recognize me. We were walking down to the watch store, which was already about to close, it was already dark. We stopped at the corner of the store.

"When doesa the store closes, Holmes?"

"In about ten minutes. Now, Watson, be quiet. We do not wanted them to hear us."

We stayed some good time there, it was more than ten minutes. Fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, thirty; I don't know with exactity. But I do know that a good amount of time had passed before something interesting happened. I could hear some murmuring from the store, but I was sure Holmes could hear what they said. I came closer to the store, not too much. The talking started to get clearer. I kept getting closer. The mumbling became more intelligible. Finally, after approaching several steps, I could hear clearly what they were saying. William Dollarhyde was talking to the man who had received us at the store, early that morning.

"My daughter is about to marry, I don't like it." said Dollarhyde. "He is such a pathetic hillbilly. He is no good for my daughter, I do not want her to marry him."

"Well, sir, I think that is her decission. Some days ago, I, in my drunkenness, told her something that may have scared her. I first thought I did not really mean it, but then I discovered that it was true, that the alcohol had let it come to the surface. Anyway, my daughter went to this consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes."

"Was not the man who came in here this morning he? Sherlock Holmes?"

"The very one. It seems that she is really scared, she is taking this serious. She has contacted him in order to protect her, or that is what I think she did. Anyway, I do not want my daughter to be married, and this man, Sherlock Holmes, he is giving me trouble."

"Do you want me to solve your problem, sir?"

That was when I understood. That man was part of the criminals employed by William Dollarhyde. He was one of the friends that Sophia had been worried of. I started beeing worried mjyself. I turned around to see my friend back where we had been, from where I started moving, and that was a long distance. But the look on Holmes's face I could see that he had heard that too. I turned around back to the store, to hear better.

"No," said Dollarhyde, "Do not take care of Mr. Holmes for now. But I do have a small work for you. I cannot tell you right now, but come here tomorrow at midday, and I will explain what you need to do."

"Good, thank you, sir."

The door of the store started to open, and I dropped to the floor, acting as I was asleep. As Dollarhyde and his criminal friend passed by me, I could feel the hatred coming from them towards me, or rather the poor man who had to live on the streets. They then passed by Holmes, who had also dropped into fake sleeping and the stared at him with the same hatred that they had at me. When they were gone, I went back to Holmes.

"Holmes, did you hear that?"

"Yes, I did, Watson."

"We have to do something!"

"We indeed have to. Tomorrow, we will come back here and listen to waht Dollarhyde is planning. Then, whatever it is, we will stop it."


End file.
